Tire for vehicle-wheels.



PATEN'I'ED JUNE 28, 1904.

J. ALLOATTI.

TIRE FOR VEHICLE WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED IEB. 10,4904.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented Tune 28, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

, JOSEPH ALLOATTI, or PARIS, FRANCE.

TIRE FOB VEHICLE-WHEELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,536, datedJ'une 28,1904.

Application filed February 10, 1904. $erial No. 193,011. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrn ALLOATTI, a subject of the King of Italy,residing in Paris, France, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Tires for Vehicle-Wheels, (for which I have obtained apatent in Belgium, No. 168,498, bearing date February 14, 1903,)of whichthe followingis a specification.

My invention has forits object an improved tire for vehicle-wheels,which tire has the resilient characteristics ofpneumatic tires, butavoids the drawbacks of side slip and liability to puncture or burstinherent in the latter.

My improved tire belongs to that kind of tire which is formed of elasticor resilient elements arranged on the periphery of the wheel and difiersfrom these similar tires in the points which will be hereinafterexplained in the specification.

Hitherto attempts have been made to produce many kinds of tires formedof more or less elastic or resilient elements arranged one behind theother on the periphery of the rim, preventing the rim from restingdirectly on the ground. The general drawback of all these arrangementsconsists in the tire formed not being in reality as flexible orresilient as pneumatic tires for the following reason: When a pneumatictire encounters an obstacle, it is capable of being sutficientlydeformed to exactly fit the form of the obstacle, the result of which.is that the obstruction or projection presented by the latterdisappears, being actually absorbed by the deformation of the tire,which is described by the expression that the pneumatic tire hasabsorbed the obstacle. Tires formed of resilient or elastic elementsarranged one behind the other, however, in such a way that each of themoccupies the whole Width of the rim are not deformable in the directionof the generating-line of said rim, seeing that whatever may the pointof this generating-line where the uppermost projection of the obstacleis situated the whole element which is fixed on'this generating-line islifted to the level of the highest point of the obstacle which itencounters. The result of this is that even if these kinds of tires areable to diminish jolting they cannot suppress it, and, further, sideslip is with them constantly to be feared, seeing that where there isthe least irregularity in the ground the above-mentioned parts orelements only rest on the ground at a single point. My improved tireremoves these serious drawbacks and for this object is formed ofsuccessive rows of elastic or resilient elements arranged on theperiphery of the rim, each row being composed of several independentelastic or resilient elements fixed side by side on a generating-line(which is common to all) of the rim and the rows thus formed fixed onebehind the others on equidistant generating-lines sufiiciently closetogether to allow of the elements of several adjacent rows being able tocome simultaneously in contact with the ground.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown as an example, in Figure 1,a lateral elevation, partially in section, of a half-rim made inaccordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a front elevation, partially insection, of the same; Fig. 3, aview in perspective, on an enlargedscale, of one of the elastic or resilient elements constituting the rim.Figs. 4 and 5 are views, on an enlarged scale, in front and sideelevation, respectively, of a modification of the arrangement of thissame element.

In order to carry out the object of my invention, I employ any suitablerim 1, in which I form a series of equidistant grooves 2, arranged inthe form of construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 in parallel rings,having their center on the axis of the wheel. I introduce into thesegrooves a series of parts formed as shown in Fig. 3-that is to say,consisting of a metal plate 3, with which several elastic elements, suchas i, are attached, the free ends of which elementsare bent back in theform of a hook 5. The plate 3 is perforated at 6, and its edges 7 arearranged so as to radiate from the center of the rim when the said plateis insertedin one of the grooves 2. The other edge, 8, of the plate 3has a curvature of the same radius as the circle 9 of the bottom of thegrooves 2. I thus arrange one behind the other in each of the grooves 2the necessary number of parts, such as shown in Fig. 3, so as thus toconstitute in each groove a continuous ring, as indicated in Fig. 1, andover the whole surface of the rim acontinuous tire, as indicated in Fig.2. Finally, I fix the parts or elements on the rim by means of bolts 10,which pass through the holes 6 in the parts which are in alinement, asshown in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

In the modified form of construction shown in Fig. 4: the elastic orresilient elements 4 are no longer arranged one behind the other, as

in the case of Fig. 3, but side by side on the that which the elastic orresilient elements 4 are to make with the said periphery. Finally, thebolts 10, which pass through the holes 6, instead of being arranged atright angles to the plane of the rim are located in said plane and in adirection practically at right angles to the plate 3. Under theseconditions of arrangement it is quite evident that if an obstacle beencountered by the wheel the elastic or resilient elements of the samerow will be able to bend indvidiually, as indicated in Fig. 2, while theelements of several consecutive rows will also be able to beindividually displaced on contact with the obstacle, as indicated inFig. 1. The result is that the tire will yield to the form of theobstacle which it encounters absolutely in the same manner as apneumatic tire would do, and much more so as the number of elements perrow and the number of rows is increased. Under these conditions it isevident that the tire possesses a number of points of contact with theground equal to the product of the number of elements of one row by thenumber of rows which rest simultaneously on the ground. This largenumber of elastic or resilient elements simultaneously in contact withthe ground produces an effect at least equivalent to that of a pneumatictire as regards diminishing vibration or jolting, and therefore in viewof the independence of the elastic elements forming each row the tirewill rest on the ground by a more extended surface of contact than thatof an inflated pneumatic tire, and consequently the said tire willgreatly diminish the chances of side slip, and wheels thus formed willhave great actual adhesion.

I declare that what I claim is 1. In a wheel of the kind hereinbeforedescribed, the combination with a rim having parallel grooves, of aseries of parts comprising a base-plate engaging in said grooves, andelastic strips carried by said plate, said strips projecting at theexterior of the grooves and having their free ends bent back in the formof a hookin order to come in contact with the ground; substantially asdescribed.

2. In a wheel of the kind hereinbefore mentioned, the combination with arim provided with parallel grooves equidistant from and concentric withthe said rim, of a series of parts comprising a base-plate engaging insaid grooves, and elastic strips projecting at the exterior of saidgrooves, said parts being arranged in each groove one behind the otherand having in their base-plate ahole enabling the piece to be fixed tothe rim by a bolt, said base-plates being arranged in each groove,

in such a way that the holes of all the plates

